“I am sorry to see this team disbanded; over the last several years they have consistently provided high-quality reporting on critical environmental issues, especially the climate crisis,” Gore wrote. “Newspapers generally are under economic stress, and unfortunately, the Times is also profoundly affected by the tectonic shifts in the media landscape. Its role in informing U.S. policy debates, however, is unique.”

Gore added that he hoped the Times reporters who focused on climate issues can “continue their crucial work.” The Times reassigned the desk’s editors and journalists to other sections, and said it made the change for entirely structural reasons.